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A gluten-free vegan diet could be beneficial for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, researchers have said.

Sufferers tend to be at a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes than the general population, as the disease causes inflammation in their arteries.

However, a study at Sweden's Karolinska Institute has found that the risk of heart attack and stroke can be reduced by following a vegan diet.

Research involving 66 patients - 38 of whom ate a gluten-free vegan diet - found that those on the regime had lower levels of 'bad' low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and tended to have a lower body mass index (BMI) than those on a non-vegan diet.

The Arthritis Research Campaign welcomed the study but told the BBC that it is 'difficult to get enough of some important nutrients on a vegan diet'.

However, a spokeswoman revealed: 'We do know that, for example, eating oily fish can reduce inflammation, and risk factors for developing the condition include high consumption of red meat and low consumption of fruit and vegetables, so diet does play a role - however limited.'